Contour supporter belt



July 19, 1955 MEMlNGER 2,713,340

CONTOUR SUPPORTER BELT Filed June 28, 1954 P404 MEMI/VGEQ,

IN V EN TOR.

United States Patent CONTOUR SUPPORTER BELT Paul Meminger, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application June 23, 1954, Serial No. 439,607

7 Claims. (Cl. 128-96) This invention relates to supporters for bandages and the like and has particular reference to improvements in supporter belts.

Many difierent types of supporter belts have been introduced but they have not been found satisfactory for the reason that they are not particularly shaped to follow the contour of the downwardly and inwardly curving abdominal portion of the human body. firmly to retain their position thereon during bodily movements. This is particularly true in the case of athletic supporters.

It is in view of the foregoing the object of the present invention to provide a supporter belt which is so designed and proportioned that it will not sag or slip while in use even when subjected to the bodily contortions incidental to athletic exercises. It is a further object to provide a supporter belt of simple, inexpensive construction and which is convenient to operate. Another object is to provide a device which, while firmly remaining in position, is capable of yielding to variations in the abdominal surface during bodily movements to the end that all danger of injury to skin may be eliminated.

These objects as well as the advantageous features of the invention are hereinafter fully explained and a drawing is hereto attached in which a preferred form of the invention is illustrated.

in the drawing:

Fig. l is a front elevational view of a device embodying the invention as it appears when placed in position on the human body;

Fig. 2 shows the device on a larger scale;

Fig. 3 is a substantially corresponding side view thereof;

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view of the supporter belt taken substantially on line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 shows the shape of the strap supported by the belt and is taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 6 illustrates an important portion of this strap.

The principal features of the invention, as illustrated in the drawing, are the belt 1 and the manner in which this belt is made to conform to the contour of the body which it is designed to serve. The belt may be composed of any suitable thin elastic webbing and it is reinforced by means of a relatively thick, flexible, nonstretchable fabric pad 2 which is stitched in position on the outer surface of the belt along the front portion thereof and of a length to span the greater portion of the distance between the hip bones. The belt is sufiiciently elastic to be slipped over the hips and to adjust itself to the shape of the body but the more substantial pad 2 is made downwardly curved to conform to the curvature of the lower margin of the abdomen, substantially as indicated in Fig. 3 of the drawing, and it will be held firmly in this position by the tension of the rear portion of the belt. When the pad is correctly shaped and proportioned, it will remain snugly and comfortably pressed against the nether abdominal surface without danger of sagging during all ordinary bodily movements.

It is important to note that, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 2,7133% lc Patented July 19, 1955 elastic borders of the belt have freedom of folding over the edges of the pad, as indicated in phantom outline in Fig. 4. These soft, pliant portions of the belt will adjust themselves to any abdominal movement and so assure uninterrupted comfort under all bodily conditions.

In addition, it has generally been found necessary in abdominal supporters to provide means for checking upward movement thereof and I have for this purpose provided a bifurcated strap 3. This strap is composed of soft elastic material. The strap extends from the rear center of the belt downwardly and forwardly, the branches 4,

Nor are they designed 5 of the strap continuing upwardly along the abdominal curve to positions on the pad 2 a short distance from the ends thereof. A series of passages 6, '7 are provided in the forward ends of the strap for engagement with fasteners in the shape of studs 8, 9 of the pad. When so constructed, it is a very simple and convenient matter to adjust the strap to the size of the body and the soft resilience thereof will eliminate all danger of upward shifting movement of the belt. The rear end of the strap is at 10 shown similarly perforated to engage a stud 11 at the rear center of the belt.

As above stated, the object of the invention is to provide a novel, highly efficient combined athletic and general purpose supporter. The belt is to this end shown fitted with snap fastener elements 15, 16 to which any type of suspensory bandage may be readily attached. The strap is for the purpose of supporting such bandages at 26 shown perforated to receive a fastening element such as usually mounted on the types of bandages to be supported. The branches, or prongs 4, 5 of the strap are shown circular in cross sectional outline and this shape has been found most advantageous in that it permits of some rolling motion thereof in response to bodily movements. But the rear portion 3, of the strap is preferably made more nearly semicircular, substantially as indicated at 23 in Fig. 5. The central portion 24 of the strap is for the sake of comfort shown somewhat enlarged and dome-shaped to the end that this portion may lodge snugly within the anal cavity without danger of chafing or irritating the delicate membranes thereof.

It is seen from the foregoing description that I have provided a very simple and inexpensive device which may be worn with comfort even during extreme bodily movements without danger of chafing, scratching or bruising the parts of the body on which it is mounted. But while I have herein described a preferred form of the invention, it will be understood that modifications of shapes, arrangements and proportions may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as expressed in the claims hereto appended.

I claim:

1. A supporter for bandages comprising, a thin elastic belt, a substantial nonstretchable pad mounted on the belt and of a length substantially to span the distance between the hip bones, the pad being downwardly curved from the ends thereof to conform to the contour of the lower abdominal marginal surface, and a strap mountable on the belt, the strap extending from the rear center of the belt to the pad.

2. A supporter for bandages comprising, a thin elastic belt, a substantial nonstretchable pad mounted on the belt and of a length substantially to span the distance between the hip bones, the pad being downwardly curved from the ends thereof to conform to the contour of the lower abdominal marginal surface, a strap mountable on the belt, the strap extending from the rear center of the belt to the'pad, and bandage attaching elements on the ends of the pad.

3. A supporter for bandages comprising, a thin elastic belt, a substantial nonstretchable pad mounted on the belt and of a length substantially to span the distance between the hip bones, the pad being downwardly curved from the ends thereof to conform to the contour of the lower abdominal marginal surface, a bifurcated strap mountable on the belt, the strap extending from the rear center of the belt to positions near the ends of the pad,

and bandage attaching elements on the ends of the pad. 4. A supporter for bandages comprising, a thin elastic belt, a substantial nonstretchable pad mounted on the belt and of a length substantially to span the distance between the hip bones, the padbeing downwardly curved w from the ends thereof to conform to the contour of the :4 lower abdominal m arginal surface, studs at the rear center of the belt and near the ends of the pad, a bifurcated strap having perforations at the ends thereof 4 strap having perforations at the ends thereof engaging said studs firmly to combine the strap with the belt, and snap fasteners at the end of the pad for receiving a bandage, the strap having at the crotch thereof a perforation for engagement with an element of the bandage.

6. A supporter belt comprising, a thin elastic Waist band, a substantial, flexible, nonstretchable pad on the waist band of a length substantially to span the distance between the hip bones, the pad being downwardly curved between the ends thereof to conform to the lower abdominal marginal curvature, and snap fastener elements at the ends of the pad for receiving a bandage.

7. A supporter belt comprising, a thin elastic waist band, a substantial, flexible, nonstretchable pad on the waist band of a length substantially to span the distance between the hip bones, the pad being downwardly curved between the ends thereof to conform to the lower abdominal marginal curvature, the pad being narrower than the waist band leaving thin' elastic borders extending from the edges of the waist band, and snap fastener elements at the ends of the pad for receiving a bandage.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 757,153 Tainsh Apr. 12, 1904 871,213 Eckrnann Nov. 19, 1907 1,063,062 Quenzer May 27, 1913 2,280,395 Hansen Apr. 21, 1942 

